Can I Sell My House and Keep the Money?

Can I Sell My House and Keep the Money?

If you’ve been thinking about selling your home — especially to a cash buyer — this question comes up more often than you’d think:

“If I sell my house, do I actually get to keep all the money?”

The short answer is: Yes… after certain costs, payoffs, and legal obligations are handled at closing.

You absolutely can walk away with your equity.
But there are a few things you need to understand about where money goes first.

What You Get to Keep

When you sell a home — the remaining money after debts, fees, and required payouts go to you.

That is your net proceeds.

This is what ends up being wired to you after closing.

What Gets Paid Out Before You Get Your Money

When you sell, the title company will settle all financial items tied to the property before handing you your portion.

Here’s what may come out:

• your remaining mortgage balance

• unpaid property taxes (if any)

• liens or judgments attached to the home

• closing costs or title fees

• realtor commissions (if you used an agent)

After all of that is paid — the rest is yours.

In a cash sale, this process is usually much faster and cleaner because there are no lender fees, appraisal requirements, or long approval delays.

How Much Money Will You Actually Get?

That depends on your equity:

Equity = Property Value – What You Still Owe

Example:

• Home sells for $300,000

• You owe $140,000

• Closing costs + taxes = $10,000

You walk away with: $150,000

That is your money.
You can use it however you want.

Do You Have to Pay Taxes on the Money?

Not always.

You may qualify for capital gains exclusions if this was your primary residence and you lived in it at least 2 of the last 5 years.

• up to $250k profit (single)

• up to $500k profit (married)

That part depends on IRS rules — not how you sell (cash or financed).

Bottom Line

Yes, you can sell your house and keep the money — but you only get your equity after any debts tied to the property are paid off at closing.

Selling for cash can help you access that equity much faster because:

• there are no banks to wait on

• you don’t have to fix the home first

• closing can happen in days, not months

If you want, I can now write a follow-up article:

1. How to calculate your exact equity before selling
   or

2. How to walk away with the most money possible when selling for cash in Ohio

Which one do you want next?